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Inspired by the predominance of fluff and fuzz on the runways, as well as the debates around body hair as a style or political statement, in early 2016, SHOWstudio editor Lou Stoppard asked groups of Central Saint Martins students to pitch and create different series based on the theme of hair. A range of work by the eight groups, on topics such as bearded ladies and grey hair, is displayed below.

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Eyebrows: Gallery

Students from Central Saint Martins compile key beauty looks from recent fashion history as part of their research into eyebrows

John Galliano A/W 03. Galliano described this collection as his 'granny from hell' look. Make-up took a cue from Leigh Bowery, with theatrical stick-on eyebrows, oversized moles and the artist’s signature exaggerated lips crafted by Pat McGrath in a drastic display of artifice reminiscent of extreme stage make-up. This reference to the late performance artist is fitting for a designer whose shows were notorious for theatricality, which involved transforming show venues into immersive, exotic new worlds.

Gucci S/S 12. The use of bleached eyebrows in Gucci’s S/S 12 show prompted a surge in the use of bleached and colourfully dyed eyebrows. Bleached and dyed eyebrows can be seen where image and distinctiveness is a fundamental key to the creative force of the area, particularly in East London amongst night-life enthusiasts and art students. McGrath explained to Vogue, 'We bleached the eyebrows, making the eyes look rebellious, decadent and chic.'

Miu Miu A/W 14. Miu Miu is often credited with capturing a distinct femininity in their collections, using recognisable pastel shades and unmistakable patterns to seduce their audience. In this instance, Miu Miu used charming gems and contrasting tribal-like paint to draw attention. The overall contrast between the feminine gems and the tough war-paint has been a popularly replicated look amongst young girls during the British 'festival season.'

Chanel A/W 14. The bejewelled eyebrows at Chanel’s A/W 12 show were the result of a collaboration between Peter Phillips, the house’s Creative Director of Make-up and the Maison Lesage. The eyebrow sets were embroidered with pearls, sequins and crystals by Maison Lesage before being glued to models' eyebrows backstage. 'The inspiration for the make-up look came from a few key words and a sketch that Karl Lagerfeld provided: minerals, shading and eyebrows were the key words and the sketch showed a face with stone-lined eyebrows,' Phillips told vogue.com.

Dior S/S 14. To create the gold brow look for Dior, Pat McGrath and her team spent the morning of the show bleaching models’ eyebrows, before grooming them into place with a mixture of glue, glitter and gold pigment. Emphasis was on the natural texture of the hair, with McGrath explaining to Vogue her aim for a 'ropey, brocaded effect.'

Marc Jacobs A/W 14. Similarly to Gucci, Marc Jacobs' use of the bleached brow ignited a series of copy-cat looks. The blunt wigs and pushed back hair along with the bleached eyebrows created an alien-like spectacle, further reinstated by the vacant expressions.

Alexander McQueen AW 14. This season saw Sarah Burton theme the Alexander McQueen ready-to-wear collection around the theme of 'wild beauty'. This was conveyed through the owl-like eyebrow effect created by Pat McGrath. McGrath lined models’ brows with individually crafted black feather pieces, contrasted with copper coloured pigment around the eyes. Of the painstaking process, McGrath told Marie Claire, 'We were hand-cutting pieces of black feathers for hours to prepare. I was adding last-minute touches and enhancements right up until each girl stepped on to the runway.'

Alexander Wang S/S 16. The eyebrow slit has many cultural connotations: Gangs, Lads, Chavs. For the Alexander Wang S/S 16 show, hairdresser Guido Palau decided to adopt the eyebrow slice on its male models. 'We nicked the eyebrows. It was a look in the 80s that boys used to cut like a boxer,' adds Palau.

About

In early 2016, SHOWstudio editor Lou Stoppard was invited by Hywel Davies to envisage, teach and mark a special project with Central Saint Martins students. Pupils from across three pathways - fashion journalism, fashion history and theory, and fashion communication and promotion - came together to respond to Lou Stoppard's brief to pitch and create a series based around the theme of hair. The topic was inspired both by key objects on the runways - Gucci's now ubiquitous kangaroo-lined loafers, the brainchild of clutter magpie Alessandro Michele, Shane Olivier’s wig-embellished pieces for Hood by Air, and Phoebe Philio’s fuzz-lined Birkenstocks, the shoe that launched a thousand copies - and more general discussions about facial and body hair: the rise of the beard as an emblem of gentrification or hipster culture, the drives on Instagram and other social media channels to normalise visible female body hair, the Tumblr trends for dyed armpit hair, the opinion pieces arguing that it is time to stop politicising black hair. Other key outputs, from Hair: Guido, featuring photographs by David Sims and published in 2014, to the Sam McKnight exhibition, scheduled for November 2016 at Somerset House, also inspired the project.

To spark students’ imagination, Stoppard invited Shonagh Marshall, curator of the Sam McKnight exhibition, to deliver a guest lecture, while Central Saint Martins academics Judith Watt and Alistair O'Neill each offered a unique perspective on hair in fashion. The former focused on red hair and its reputation and symbolism, while the latter gave a preview of his research into the work of photographer Richard Avedon, focusing on ‘big hair.’